Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) blog on competitive gaming in South Africa from proto-computer gaming all the way through to the most modern. For more about MSSA go to: https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa/

Friday, 3 April 2015

MORABARABA, UMLABALABA, MRABARABA

Morabaraba remains the most
popular game in South Africa with an enormous 40% of the population
playing the game on a recreational level. Wow! Do you realise that
that is a staggering 16 million people in South Africa alone that
play the game?

In other words, MORABARABA
is bigger than soccer. Now isn't that something of which to be proud?

But why is MORABARABA
part of the Mind Sports South Africa?

Back in 1991 a concerned group
of Morabaraba players, lead by Edward Ngubane, approached the Mind
Sports South Africa in the hope of seeing the game promoted and
accredited as a full sport.

Mind Sports South Africa
immediately rose to the challenge and despite the political situation
of the time began to promote the game.

There is no doubt that the
game is ancient in terms of its origin, educational in purpose with a
very strong mathematical base, but most of all

FUN TO PLAY.

To accredit the game the Mind
Sports South Africa embarked on an exciting development plan.

After having persuaded the
National Sports Council (NSC) to view the game as a fully-fledged
sport, Mind Sports South Africa sent a team to represent South Africa
at the 2nd
Traditional World Games and Festival in Bangkok, Thailand in 1996.

As usual the Hon. Mr Steve
Tshwete was most supportive of our endeavours and gave all the
support he possibly could.

Our international body, the
International Wargames Federation (IWF) then also adopted the game at
its international championships.

Many South Africans will be
more than surprised to know that Morabaraba is played throughout
Africa, and the world, although it is known by many different names.
In Somalia the game is known as Shax, in Ethiopia as Gebeta, in
Namibia the game is known as Owela, in Zimbabwe the game is known as
Tsoro, Tsolo in Zambia, Mbau in Angola, Ekyeso in Uganda, and in
Botswana the game is known as Mmele. It is even known as Cizgny in
Turkey, Twelve Man’s Morris in England, Filletto in Italy, Damier
in Senegal, Muhle in Switzerland, Trilha in Brazil, Marelle in
France, Moynek in Poland, Tres en Raya in Spain, Xi Gua Qi in China,
and Muhle in Germany.